Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to examine high mobility group box 1 (Hmgb1), a prototypic alarmin and member of a family of danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPS), that mediates the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and is elevated late in bacterial infection/sepsis, as an attractive target for disease treatment in P. aeruginosa infection.

Methods:
C57BL/6 (B6) mice were treated with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) or PBS, infected and Hmgb1 expression assessed by real-time RT-PCR, ELISA and immunostaining. Mice were then treated with Hmgb1 siRNA or scrambled control and effects also assessed by real-time RT-PCR, immunostaining and ELISA. Neutrophils (PMNs) were quantitated using a myeloperoxidase assay.